Method of designing corset-stays.



H. M. McCORMlCK. METHOD OF DESIGNING CORSET STAYS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented P 1917.

In vsn'for #mmsss sa I H. M. MCCORMICK- METHOD OF DESIGNING CORSET STAYS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 4, I914- Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. M, McCORMlCK.

METHOD OF DESIGNING CORSET STAYS. APPLICATION men ov. 4. 1914.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SH? 3.

HUGH MALCOLM MCCORMICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UPLIFT CORSET COMPANY, OF PHOENIX, AItIEONA, A

CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

METHOD OF DESIGNING CORSET-STAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

Application filed November 4., 1914. Serial No. 870,281.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH MALCOLM MG- Common, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Method of Designing Corset- Stays. v

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention.

Figure l is an inside view of one-half of a pair of corsets over which is placed a sheet of paper upon which to take measurements for first general dimensions of intended corset stay.

Fig. 2 shows paper removed'from half of corset with first general outline of intended corset stay drafted upon it.

Fig. 3 shows next step in drafting intended corset stay. 1 a

Fig. 4 shows pattern of intended corset stay, marked with grading line, out out and divided into three sections.

In Fig. 5 the outlines of sections shown in Fig. 4 are indicated by dotted lines,-and solid lines show new outlines of pattern for intended corset stay.

Fig. 6 shows next step in designing'pattern for intended corset stay.

Fig. 7 shows succeeding step in designing pattern for intended corset .stay.

Fig. 8- shows first step taken to modify final draft of lower edge of corset stay pattern. v Fig. 9 shows "final step taken to modify draft of lower edge of corset stay pattern.

Fig. 10 shows my design of corset stay stiflener.

Fig. 11 shows completed corset stay ready to be attached to half of a pair'of corsets.

Fig. 12 shows corset stay positioned upon and attached to one-half of a pair of corsets.

In abdomen-supporting corset, Letters Patent Number 1,190,250, July 4?, 1916, I show and describe a corset stay corset and tell what it accomplishes.

first fully joined, stripped, and "boned, ex-

ce t that at the line W re rese'ntin the p p 2 [approximately as shown in the drawings, al-

line of attachment of the corset stay, the

lower edge of the zone belt.

fafter) to point, TI. This point is follows inches; in size 33, 11% inches;

Referring to Fig. 1: The half of corset, XX, to be supplied with corset stay, is

boning is omitted for the time being and the strip is may either be omitted or sewed at the rear edge only, leaving the front edge unattached, until the rear edge of corset stay has been slipped under it, as hereinafter explained. This seam is located about halfway between the side of the corset and the rear edge. pon half corset, XX, lay a piece" of ordinary tough paper X, put thumb. tacks, Y, in positions shown, through paper and corset firmly into table. The upper thumb tack should b about half an inch below the waist line, that is, at the The lower thumb-tack should be placed near the bottom of. the corset at a point, the exact location of which is explained hereinafter, said point being about two inches lower than the point.

stretched underneath paper X. l low find natural Waist line, 6, and measure from e three inches down along a line one-half inch inside the front, or clasp-edge, of corset, and

put in thumb tack T. From 6 measure diagonally downward I (as directed here ap proximately two inches back from. the front edge of the cormt. The point is located. as Commencing at true waistline of corset, one-half inch inside front or clasp edge, measure diagonally downward nine inches to point two inches inside front edge of corset for sizes 18 to '22, inclusive;

similarly, in size 23, 9;} inches: in size 24, 99

inches; in size 25, 9,5}.inches; in size 26, 10

inches; in size 27, 10. inches; in size 28, 10% inches; in size 29, 10% inches; in size 30, 11 inches; in size 31, 113; inches; in size 32, 11.} in size 34, 12 inches; in size 35, 12;; inches, in size 36, 12; inches. In addition to the above dimensions,

allowance must be made for seams and binding.. 7

Remove paper, X, from corset and draw lines 21, 22, 23, 24,.as shown in Fig. To'produce Fig. 3, draw curved lines 14:

and 15, obtaining lower front corner curve,- A, by placing lower end of corsetstay. stifiener (Fig.10) on paper slightly below meeting; points of; lines 23, 24; then-cut out on lines 21,1de23, A and l 5. fihese lines are simply smoothcurves which are to be drawn and,

lot

though some variation is permissible. Next draw outline of paper pattern, Fig. 3, on

cardboard, out out card-board and cut into sections shown in Fig. 4.

Next place cardboard sections, shown in Fig. 4, on a 'fresh sheet of card-board, Fig.

5, and allow width for seams by moving each curve in corset atpoint where corset stay is to be joined to corset. Original outlines of sections shown in Fig. 4 are indicated in Fig. 5, by C. At the rear edge of sectibn 1 cut out a curved segment E which may vary from 3 to more than one inch in width at the base and extend narrowing upward from one-third to two-thirds of th height of said section, depending on width of gore.v 'In Fig. 6 lay section l'upon section 2, the

upper right hand corner, H, of sectioni 1 about one-quarter of an inch above the upper left hand corner, I, of section 2. Cut

- 01f lower left hand corner, G, of section 2 even with contour, E, of section 1. These pattern curves result in giving each corset stay a shortened lower-edge upon each side of the base of the abdomen, add greatly to the underreaching fit of the forward lower section 3. The triangular shaped additions edge of corset stay.

edge-of the corset stay, and contribute to the efiiciency of the lifting action, .53, Fig. 12, of the corset stay. These curves take off a certain amountof each of the two sections depending on the size, as follows: sizes 18-22, inch; size 23, inch; size 24, 3,- inch; size, 25, inch; size 26, *3 inch; size 27 inch; $128 28, .5 inch; size 29, inch; size 30, 5% inch; size 311, 5 inch; size 32, 5}; inch; size 33, inch; size 34, i inch; size 35, inch; size 36, 1 inch. To provide needed room for thigh, add the triangular sections, L, M, Fig. 6, to the rear of section 2, and to the front of section 3', about in the proportion shown, the exact amount varying in accordance with the model of corset.

Referring to Fig. 7 Lay. section 2 upon section 3, th upper right hand corner, 50, of section 2, about one-quarter of an'inch above the left hand upper corner, 40, of

L and M having previously been made to sections 2 and 3, mark a point 32, indicating the lower left hand corner.

Fig. 8 shows final draft of sections 1 and 2, incompletely out out. Points marked 30 are punch marks to gage meeting edges of sections 1 and 2. Note that line 15 has to be re-drafted for new contour of lower Fig. 9 shows final draft of sections 1, 2 and 3, incompletely out out, in position for final drafting of line 15. Punch marks (to gage by) on meeting edges of sections 2 and 3 are indicated by 32. Line 15 is re- S, Fig. 12, and supply a long, full curveto sufficiently and. comfortably cover the thigh. The upper back corner of section 3 of corset stay should reach as high as natural waist-line of wearer. The upper front corner, t, should be three inches below me dian natural waist-line e, and, from that point downward should recede gradually backward until the lower front corner, 60, of the corset stay is approximately two inches inside the front, or'clasp-edge, of the corset. From 'upper .back'corner the corset stay should extend frontward and downward, below and obliquely away from lateral natural waist-line.

Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 show positions of, designsfor and construction of corset stay for right half of pair of corsets.

The same patterns reversed similarly applyto the left half of a pair of corsets.

B, shown in Figs. 4,5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 the grading line and is an arbitrary line drawn anywhere across the three sections sliown in Fig. 5, preferably about the midd e.

Referring to Figs.11, and 12: Sections 1, 2 and 3 of corset stay are made double thickness, and their meeting edges, n, are sepa-' rately joined by seaming. Two interlinings, a, are now stitched to outside thickness of section 1 from point 0 along front edge to point on on bottom edge. The corset stay stiffener, 11, is now inserted between interlinings, a,'and pressed as far frontward and downward into corner, 60, as possible. Punch holes for eyelet, 18, and hooks, 19, are now made. Said eyelet is intended to receive a corset .lacer for lacing up the front of the corset stay. Hooks, 19, are now put on by tubular rivet and stud hook machine. The inside thickness of the corset stay is now attached to corresponding outside of same by binding, h, from upper rear corner, 9, along top, front and bottom edges to lower bottom corner, 9.

yelet, 18, is now put in, and tl". completed corset stay is ready to be attached to corset. Fig. 12 shows jointure of corset stay with corset effected by overlying stripping, k, which should have an underlying interlining immediately over raw rear edge, F, of section 3. Said interlining is a reinforcing strip of cloth over the edge of the corset stay. Interlining and stripping, la, are

inserted in the usual manner.

. The corset stay, combined with its lacing, should fully inclose the base and middle sections of the abdomen, approximately as high as the navel. Vl hen the ends of the corset stays are drawn toward each otherv by lacing, the diverged front ends exert a,threefold action upon the base of the abdomen; first, a centerward pressure away from the groins; second, an upward lift from the pelvis; third, a backward pull. This combination results in producing genuine intrape vic-abdominal-support. Corset stays are graded in length in accordance with the size of the corset; and, they are also graded in depth in accordance with the 'size of the abdomen.

The foregoing directions are intended to be used only in manufacturing different stock sizes, models and styles of corsets in quantity. It is obviously impossible to give the calculations required for what manufacturers call specials. Any corset designer, however, understanding my invention, will be able to make his own corset stay calculations for specials.

Corset stays operate as bent levers upon each side of the intra-pelvically situated base of the abdomen, and they are always shorter in length than the width of those portions of the corset overlying them. The initial or fulcrumic strain is indicated by arrow B, and the secondary operation, the lift, is shown by arrow S, Fig. 12. A

pair of corset stays are obliquely positioned artificial abdominal muscles using the rear of each half of a pair of corsets as supporting bases while operating as bent levers against the right and left sides of the intrapelvically situated abdomen.

sewed onsimultaneousl' Bone 12 is now I preferably make corset stay stifl'eners,

Fig. 10, of pure aluminum about 25 onethousandths of an inch thick. They are punched, 33, for eyelets or hooks and are flexible enough to be bent by each wearer to suitably fit the contour of her abdomen, ,1 make my corset stay stiffener of its peculiar shape that it may impinge upon the abdominal wall in such position and in such amanner as to intra-pelvically and adequately support and protect the desired region.

After combiningcorset stay with corset proper by stripping, 7c, ashereinbefore shown and described, the corset is ready for the next usual step in manufacture.

The foregoing directions, supplemented by reference to the drawings, tell and show how to design and construct corset stays for,

and combine same with,-co1 'sets ranging in .sizesfrom 18 to .86, .,inc1u s1ve. The style,

hat is, the height of basa-iijigth r skirt, evelopment of eitherbustforhips, and the size of waist, will be 'fot'ind'to'ma ke no dif- .feet'thi'ee inches in height ma .1 wear ference the resultant products thoughdllferently shaped corset stay sectlons will result for each different model of corset,

'of all three types of figures will result in a degree of perfection impossible to obtain through use of a single type of figure only.

The information given and the illustrations shown of this invention are intended only for those skilled artisans of corsetry known as corset designers; and, as the physical law governing the cooperation of corset stays and corsets is distinctly different from the physical law governing the operation of corsets, per se, it will be necessary for corset designers, until thoroughly familiar with what I herein disclose, to pay strict attention. to each detailset forth, as this art is admittedly, until mastered, difficult and recondite', involving, as it does, a radical departure from the accepted and practised arts of designing and building both corsets and abdominal supporters.

The upper front corners of corset stays may be built higher (nearer natural waistline.) if desired; I have built corset stays as high as the waist-line. Three inches below natural waist-line I have found, however, to be the best average depth for all classes of womens figures. Slight variations in depth of bottom front corners of corset stay are possible without destroying the mechanical operation of the corset stays or materially affecting the abdominal support and 'reducj tion obtained; but, only very slight variations are permissible in manufacturing corsets in quantity. As to specials, no gen-' eral dimensions can be given-each case is a law unto itself; but, if the corset designer will follow the directions. described and shown herein, he will be able to provide adequate intra-pelvic abdominal support for any woman.

It has required a vast number of experiments, covering a period of more thaneleven years, to invent, compare and prove the rules and processes herein set forth and to reduce same'to both accuracy and simplicity. The reason so many experiments were necessary is because of the immense variety of shapes of womens figures.- 'No part of a woman varies in. size and shape to the ex-v tent of her abdomen.

a size A school five 18 corset,-,and her mother,, ve, feet two number of differently shaped women.

- top to the bottom, curving 'vertical edges thereof an inches in height, may wear a size 34 corset,

yet both girl and woman may require intra-' and processes for others to follow, I had to ascertain the intra-pelvic-abdominal support and reduction requirements of a largp have finally worked out a systemof averages which can be relied upon as equally applicable everywhere. Corset manufacturers can now sell corset stay corsets with as much confidence as ordinary corsets.

I claim: I p

1. The method of designin a corset 'stay for corsets, constituting one o a pair of such stays, which consists in outlining-0n suitable material a four-sided areahaving the top and bottom edges converging toward the front edge, the rear edge having a height substantially e ual to the distance from the waist line to t e lower part of the corset, the length of said area being slightly less than the distance from a line between the side and the rear edge of the corset, to the front edge thereof, dividing said area into a plurality of sections on lines running from the certain of the providing the bgttom of the combined areas with a concave e ge.

2. The method of 4 constructing corset stays for corsets, which consists in prepar- Gonies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. G.

the top dia illustrated.

ing a four-sided sheet having one edge substantially equalto the distance from the waist line of'the corset to the bottom therecorners of the front and middle sections to of the ad acent areas,

produce a convexity rounding. the outside of the rear section to allow for the curve' in the corset, increasing the-middle and rear sections in width from onally downwardly along their adjacent e ges, to partially offset the decrease in the length of the lower edge caused bycutting out said gores, arranging said three sections side by side in contact at the bottom, and continuing the curve of the first section along the base of the other two sections to produce a smooth curve to the extreme opposite. corner,

HUGHNMALC'OLM MGCORMIOK.

Witnesses HUBERT HALM, KATHARINE E. SHIRLEY.

Commissioner of Patcnta,

substantially as I 

